Friday, 23 January 2015

Krishnarpan, Authentic Nepalise Feast, Dwarika's Hotel, Kathmandu

Krishnarpan, Dwarika's Hotel, Kathmandu

Krishnarpan, The Dwarika’s Hotel, Kathmandu

An unforgettable Nepalese feast

An unforgettable experience with Nepalese cuisine and
hospitality is found at Krishnarpan restaurant in the beautiful heritage
property of the Dwarika’s Hotel. As if participating in a ritual feast of
Kathmandu Valley’s Newari community, guests dine on six to twenty courses served
on traditional brass and earthenware, taking a culinary journey through the
terrains and cuisines of Nepal. If you splash out on one meal in Kathmandu,
this should be the one.

With a focus on fresh, local and organic, many of the
ingredients come from Dwarika’s own farms. Food is of superbly high quality,
bursting with flavour and nutrition, and we’re delighted to partake in such a
unique opportunity.

But, wanting to prolong the evening, we stop first in the
hotel’s Fusion Bar for a signature beverage. Dark wooden exposed ceiling beams,
ebony whisky barrels, wine racks, black and white photographs, and antique
music paraphernalia (there’s even a music box that used to belong to Mao!) keep
the ambience intimate and intriguing.

Fusion Bar

On a chilly evening, such as this, Hot Rum Punch (Rs. 800)
is a suitable soul warmer. Cinnamon, black and white cardamom, cloves and star
anise are infused in the nation’s own Khukuri rum. Served hot, it resembles
mulled wine, but with more pronounced flavours and a marked kick. One more
please! Gorkha, one of the local beers, is hubby’s choice, and even though it’s
served in a giant-sized bottle, disappears very quickly. Popcorn, peanuts and furandana (a Nepalese snack mix of
puffed rice, lentils, peanuts, spices and other bits and pieces) are yummy bar
bites.

Gorkha Beer

Spicy Rum

Appetites whet and the day’s stories told, we cross the
courtyard to Dwarika’s Nepalese restaurant, Krishnarpan. When I said earlier
that a visit here is a not-to-be-missed experience, I truly meant it. It’s not
just about the food, but about sharing a whole way of life, from rituals, to
clothing, to the décor.

Traditionally dressed staff greet with warm smiles and
welcoming Namastes. We remove our
shoes, wash our hands and follow our chaperone to our table where we’re donned
with aprons and asked if we’d like the vegetarian or non-vegetarian menu.

Reflecting traditional Newari practices, where feasting is central
to all celebrations and ceremonies, tables are set up in long rows low to the
floor. Beautiful ancient carvings frame doorways, and hand made covers shade
lighting. Every piece of furniture, crockery, cutlery and article of adornment
is made by local artisans. Brassware in the shape of twigs comes from Patan. Placemats
are sewn in-house in the national colours of white, red and black. Ceramics hail
from Thimi, and serving platters are in the shape of leaves mirroring the traditional
practice of using them as plates.

Krishnarpan

Rice spirit accompanies the meal and is poured in dramatic
display, where the pot starts low and is lifted high in the finish, testing the
dexterity and aim of the server, in making every drop reach the tiny shallow
receptacle. This is a special home brew from Bhaktapur. It’s not permitted to
be sold commercially, so is given away to guests in this unique tasting.

Rice Spirit Pouring

Shortly after the spirit is poured, the starter arrives and
we’re instructed to give an offering by taking a small portion of each item on
our plate and placing it on the special dish in front of us. It honours Lord
Krishna and too is a way of remembering ancestors.

Starters

We begin with Samaya
Baji, an authentic assortment of Newari starters served during religious
ceremonies. Puffed rice, tomato wedge, garlic, beans, soya beans, lentil
pancakes (bara) and potato pickle
make a ring around the plate. Hubby, taking the non-vegetarian menu, has
buffalo meat too, which he reports is “rico!”
Utensils are provided, but in embracing the tradition, we eat with our right
hand.

Samaya Baji

From the southern part of Nepal we have a trio of
appetizers: bread, mushrooms and chickpeas. We break off small pieces of the Puri, a fried unleavened Nepali bread
made from soft fine flour, and use it to scoop up the Chyau Ko Sekuwa, roasted mushrooms marinated in cream, and the Chana Ko Tarkari, chickpea curry. Hot
bread plus flavourful toppings – yum!

Appetizers

Momo, displaying
influence from China, are widely reported as the national snack/meal. These steamed
dumplings are stuffed with minced meat (or vegetables) and served with a mildly
spicy tomato chutney. Sometimes they are also deep fried, leaning towards
Tibetan preferences. If they’re found in soup, you can just about guarantee
it’s a dish from Kathmandu, particularly wonderful on a cold foggy day. Either
way, we love them and can see why they’ve grown to be the food symbol of the
nation.

Vegetarian Momo

Momo

Soup

A Nepali vegetable soup is next, Tarkari Ko Jhol. Made from vegetables direct from Dwarika’s organic
farm, the cream is thick and full-flavoured, tasting superbly garden-fresh. It
highlights how unnecessary excessive seasoning is when produce is organic and
local. We both scrape the bottoms of our bowls scooping up every last drop.

Tarkari Ko Jhol

Mains

Considered the main dish of Nepal, rice, lentils and
vegetables are served together from separate bowls on our plates. Steamed organic
Himalayan long-grain rice, known as Sada
Bhuja, grows in the southern part of Nepal in Dwarika’s own farm. Both
white and brown rice is available.

Homemade vegetable pickles, Mismas Achar and hug-plum pickles, Lapsi Ko Achar, side the main giving various levels of wallop with
their addition. Mustard, sesame, salt and turmeric gift the pickles an
addictive flavour, while the plums are sweet, salty and tangy at the same time.
We find similarities with Japanese salted plums, umeboshi, only these are much more moist, akin to having been
poached.

Pickles

Dessert

Served jointly on one plate, a trio of desserts offers
fresh, sweet and tangy as a delicious ending. Creamy yoghurt flavoured with
cinnamon and sweetened with honey,
Sikarni, we learn is a local favourite. Phalphul
sees a duo of rockmelon and honeydew melon topped with a ripe strawberry. Sakharkhanda Ko Haluwa, sweet potato
pudding, has hubby in a predictable rhapsody over the marvels of Nepal and how
great this country’s cuisine is. I attempt to disguise an eye-roll as hubby,
who has only minutes ago leaned back on his low chair, stomach protruding, making
a sizeable display of how full he is with this “magnificent food” and declared
that with this meal he now “won’t eat again for two days,” is now sitting
upright at full attention polishing off every last drop of cream and sugar,
beaming from ear to ear like a milk-drunk baby.

Trio of Desserts

Hot Beverage

The meal ends with Chiya
Wa Kafi, tea or coffee.

We think the six course set menu is a steal at $38++. We’ve
been treated like royalty, devoured a feast usually reserved for special celebrations,
luxuriated in the beautiful environment of Krishnarpan, and learned a great
deal about Nepalese culture on this culinary journey. Many others think the
same way, so be sure to make an advance reservation to guarantee a chance to
partake in this gourmet adventure.